Smelling a Roasting Swan while Raining

It has been a while since I wrote a post for the blog. Nobody has asked about; anyway I want to act as if having been asked, and will answer myself.. I had had nothing to say; of course, I am not carrying a wholly tabula rasa, yet, there were no worthy thing in my saddlebag for your graceful appetite, my dear followers.

A while ago a visionary inspiration appeared in my mind: I saw a raindrop splashing on a grass and splitting to hundreds of smaller drops. And I felt smell of fresh grass and soil just as happens after rain. I saw this vision while I was listening an instrumental dance music on YouTube: Yağdı Yağmur Zeybeği (Just Rained Down Zeibek). I used to think Turko-Anatolian music is not as powerful as Western music upon depicting a scene by musical tonation.

After listening to this song, my interpretation has changed 180 degree by the previous one. The elements of the composition are well equipped for depiction, the chorus and the intonation between the instruments well designed. I realized that the reason I could not illustrate the visionary scene depicting by the song, is quiet subjective to me. It is all about being familiar with the elements those traditon uses, and of course, this situation is totally upon one’s personal knowledge pool and adventure of personal experience. This time I need to confess that my personal knowledge pool and adventure of personal experience is quiet poor and miserable :( It took around 20 years to go over one step more for understanding the “main theme” of the music that I am listening to.. Yeap, you heard right; just one step more..

The same days I listened that music, I opened a slightly closed gate out. The 12th part of Carmina Burana, one of my favorite since I was 5 years-old, Olim Lacus Colueram has been also a great musical expression wowing to my pleasure and intellectus. Even though I never understand Latin language, the grammar and the vocabulary of the musical composition has always made a deep impact on me. That time I was listening to Olim Lacus Coluateram, I realized that I never have had curiosity what does lyrics mean? Probably, the reason I felt need to understand the meaning of the poem is due to having been affected by the great instrumental music Just Rained Down Zeibek. Also, at the time I first heard about Carmina Burana, I was so young, and there were no google or social media at all! I have known about the most famous part “O Fortuna!”, and I have been aware that the general context of Carmina Burana is quiet erotic. However, I have never gone more deep to understand the corner stones of the whole..

Anyway, I looked over the meaning of the lyrics, and I was shocked! The story is about a swan, dreaming about the time when is was a white floating beauty of lake, and now, being roasted fiercely.. The last words of the swan is depicting a scene set up only with bared teeth.. The reason I was shocked, whenever I listened to this part in Carmina Burana, I feel the same bare teeth! The scream “Miser! Miser! Modo niger! Et ustus fortiter!* has the same meaning in musical expression, even if I do not understand the meaning of lyrics! From now on, I feel double the expression of the composition, because, I understand the meaning! Spacial thanks to Carl Orff :):)Here is the English translation. I also started to translate the poem into Turkish.. I liked my translation :):) No need and no room for being modest :) It will be a successful translation I hope, still working on it..

This post is occurred slightly ambiguous. I started to write 2 weeks ago, and come to that form and content today :) I hope you enjoy..